----- Original Message -----"How can anyone write a whole novel? It's too huge, there's too much to figure out, and too much to do! How does anyone keep up the pace and keep going to actually finish? And then when you're done with the first draft, what if you realize you don't know how to do story tension and the characters have changed and you have to start all over again? Why would anyone want to do all that WORK?"- Disillusioned Author~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lets do this one bit at a time...

Figuring out what to put in a Novel

I don't have any problems figuring out what to write in my novels because I plot out the entire book scene by scene. How do I do that?

PLOTTING -- Plotting begins by understanding that although there are a million variations, every story follows the same basic pattern:

All You have to do is figure out what to put where. Literally, Fill In The Blank.

Keeping up the Pace

The ONLY way to finish a book is with a well-developed Obsessive Compulsive habit. Basically you keep going till you're done. Sorry, but that's the only way to do it.

To maintain the flavor of a book through the months it takes to write it, I use specific movie soundtracks, (one book - one soundtrack).

Wrecked over Rewrites!

If you need to do a rewrite, then you DO IT, over and over again, until you get it RIGHT.

And if you can't get it right? Then you consider it Practice, shelve it, and go on to another project.

A Practice Story is NOT wasted work! -- Practice is JUST as necessary as publication, if not more so. How are you supposed to perfect your techniques if you don't experiment first? Practice is Valuable Experience! Ask any artist: Do THEY offer their sketch drafts or do they take the time to perfect their techniques first?

It is ALWAYS in your best interests to Perfect your Craft BEFORE you submit! No matter what anyone says, you will be REMEMBERED by the editors that turn you down. "Oh, it's her again. I'm not going to bother reading her, I remember her last manuscript..." They may not even open the envelope to look at it.

You only want to deliver your very best work, work that you can be proud of years into your successful career.

All that Work!

Why do "I" do all that work? I LOVE writing stories.

For me, the ACT of writing is just as fulfilling (if not more so,) than the completion of a book. In fact, I usually get a severe case of depression while finishing the last three chapters. I get so involved, I DON'T want to end the story.

If you don't think writing is the neatest, keenest, coolest thing you could possibly do with your time then a Career in Fiction Writing may not be for you. It doesn't mean you shouldn't write -- writing is wonderfully fulfilling, everyone should do it! It just means that writing books that suit a publisher's needs may not be right for You.

Time to make an executive decision.

What is more crucial to your Personal Writing Happiness?

Money?-- If money is what you're after, then you knuckle under and write what the publishers are asking for -- and you KEEP WRITING.

Writing for cash is an ongoing business. Sales only last for a LIMITED amount of time. Seriously, once everyone has already bought your book, then what? (I don't know about you, but I only buy One copy.) To keep that cash flow steady, you MUST write another book Before your sales dip -- and then another, and another...

Fame?-- You're screwed. Only a tiny handful of authors achieve fame. No, really. THINK: how many authors can you name off the top of your head? (No cheating and looking at your bookshelf.)

Now, ask your friends, how many authors can They name? Do you honestly think you can compete with the authors THEY list? Hell, do you honestly think you can compete with the authors YOU listed? (I know I can't compare with my favorite authors, but I don't care.)

Truthfully? If you're looking for Fame, get into Acting because writing isn't going to get you there. Seriously.

Writing a damned good Story?-- BRAVO! Go for it! There are ALWAYS places to publish a damned good story. It may not get you much money and fame, as you know, is iffy to begin with, but to the writer that loves to Write, successfully writing a damned good story is reward enough.

In Conclusion... -- Writing a whole novel can be scary, and even nerve-wracking, but it can also be an incredibly rewarding experience -- even if you never publish it! All it takes is sheer stubbornness. (Coffee, chocolate, and cigarettes also helps, but that's just how I do it.)

DISCLAIMER:As with all advice, take what you can use and throw out the rest. As a multi-published author, I have been taught some fairly rigid rules on what is publishable and what is not. If my rather straight-laced (and occasionally snotty,) advice does not suit your creative style, by all means, IGNORE IT. Morgan Hawke~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Purveyor of fine Smut. DarkErotica.Net ~ My WebsiteDarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."Albert Einstein

Joined: 2/14/2011Posts: 591Location: At my keyboard, writing stories for you

sprite wrote:

Most depressing post ever. Just saying. :)

Producing an accomplished piece of art takes hard work... how is that depressing? That's just life!

I've seen some advice recently in an article with Alexander McCall Smith (the guy who wrote the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency books) saying to try writing your novel as a short story first.

That was unwittingly what I did:

Rough draft - 10kFirst draft - 36kSecond draft - 70k

Now begins the long torturous process of finishing it, lol! Research to do and integrate, technique to learn and apply, and many, many edits and revisions.

MorganHawke wrote:

Basically you keep going till you're done. Sorry, but that's the only way to do it.

Of course the only problem with that is it's never done, is it. There are always more improvements to make. The opposite to those who want to rush in without doing enough work are those who aren't confident to take the plunge and submit despite working and working.

I know. -- Sadly, it takes a hell of a lot more work to write a book than people think. Look at how much work you have to do to write a 5000 word story, and how LONG it takes? Now multiply that to 100,000 words, (40 chapters at roughly 2500 words each.) Morgan Hawke~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Purveyor of fine Smut. DarkErotica.Net ~ My WebsiteDarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."Albert Einstein

I've seen some advice recently in an article with Alexander McCall Smith (the guy who wrote the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency books) saying to try writing your novel as a short story first.

Frikken BRILLIANT advice!

Quote:

Now begins the long torturous process of finishing it, lol! Research to do and integrate, technique to learn and apply, and many, many edits and revisions.

I try to get as much research and plotting done as I can BEFORE I write. It really saves on time and confusion later. In some cases, my research can inspire me to send the story in a completely unexpected direction.

Quote:

Basically you keep going till you're done. Sorry, but that's the only way to do it. Of course the only problem with that is it's never done, is it? There are always more improvements to make.

It's hard -- and frustrating -- being a perfectionist, I agree.

Quote:

The opposite to those who want to rush in without doing enough work are those who aren't confident to take the plunge and submit despite working and working.

I know. -- Sadly, it takes a hell of a lot more work to write a book than people think. Look at how much work you have to do to write a 5000 word story, and how LONG it takes? Now multiply that to 100,000 words, (40 chapters at roughly 2500 words each.)

heh - i have one stalled out at like 70k right now and i just can't seem to get into the right head space to finish it - it's frustrating, and yes, it's nothing like pumping out short stories when you have a week or two of inspiration and time. *sighs* Live, love, laugh.

heh - i have one stalled out at like 70k right now and i just can't seem to get into the right head space to finish it - it's frustrating, and yes, it's nothing like pumping out short stories when you have a week or two of inspiration and time. *sighs*

This is one of the reasons I write fast. If a book takes me too long, I start losing interest until it gets to the point I'd rather eat my own eyeballs than keep working on it. Keeping in mind I work 8-16 hours a day, the average novel takes me about 3 weeks, plus a few days for editing. Sometimes they'll stretch to 6-8 weeks, like if it's an exceptionally long or complicated book (i.e., a suspense/thriller), but 8 weeks is about the most my attention span can take. My motivation is: IF I DON'T FINISH IT SOON, I WON'T FINISH IT AT ALL. That doesn't work for everyone, but I've learned it's the only way I'll ever finish anything. LoriL. A. Witt (gay male erotic romance)Lauren Gallagher (heterosexual erotic romance)Twitter: GallagherWittMy Website * My Blog * Marginally Unhinged (my webcomic)

My motivation is: IF I DON'T FINISH IT SOON, I WON'T FINISH IT AT ALL. That doesn't work for everyone, but I've learned it's the only way I'll ever finish anything.

I have the same problem. If I don't write a story as fast as I can, non-stop -- without interruptions -- it'll stall. -- Once a story stalls on me, it'll take MONTHS or even YEARS to get back into that head-space to finish it. I CAN do it. I HAVE done it, but it was very much like eating my own eyeballs; nasty, slimy, and very painful. Morgan Hawke~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Purveyor of fine Smut. DarkErotica.Net ~ My WebsiteDarkErotica Blog ~ My Writers' blog

"If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough."Albert Einstein

My motivation is: IF I DON'T FINISH IT SOON, I WON'T FINISH IT AT ALL. That doesn't work for everyone, but I've learned it's the only way I'll ever finish anything.

I have the same problem. If I don't write a story as fast as I can, non-stop -- without interruptions -- it'll stall. -- Once a story stalls on me, it'll take MONTHS or even YEARS to get back into that head-space to finish it. I CAN do it. I HAVE done it, but it was very much like eating my own eyeballs; nasty, slimy, and very painful.

Exactly. As we speak, I'm working on a book that I put aside in November, and it's been pure word dentistry for the last day or so. It's getting better though, mostly owing to the fact that it now sort of has a deadline attached to it. Seems like a deadline will prompt me to get ANY story done quick, fast, and in a hurry. lol But it's still a little painful getting started. lol LoriL. A. Witt (gay male erotic romance)Lauren Gallagher (heterosexual erotic romance)Twitter: GallagherWittMy Website * My Blog * Marginally Unhinged (my webcomic)

Nicola - if you're going to suggest writing novels, you'd better give us more than a few weeks! :p i think Alan, Morgan, and Ms. Witt are the only one's who'd make the deadline otherwise. Live, love, laugh.

I was thinking more along the lines of "surprise" quick and dirty competitions, no notice, specific topic, 2 day deadline. All authors would be pm'd about it on launch so people can't complain they weren't aware. That kind of thing.

I was thinking more along the lines of "surprise" quick and dirty competitions, no notice, specific topic, 2 day deadline. All authors would be pm'd about it on launch so people can't complain they weren't aware. That kind of thing.

An idea to mull over when the server is 100%.

thanks for the warning! i'm going to write quick stories for every possible scenario so i have one to unload the second a competition is announced! Live, love, laugh.

I was thinking more along the lines of "surprise" quick and dirty competitions, no notice, specific topic, 2 day deadline. All authors would be pm'd about it on launch so people can't complain they weren't aware. That kind of thing.

An idea to mull over when the server is 100%.

Make it:~~~~~~~~~~No noticeSpecific topicA set word-count limit, (for example: 2000 words, give or take 100 words) 7 day deadline (so those who work full-time jobs will find the time to do it,) -- And you're on!

well i am embarking on my first erotica novel myself and i don't think it should be anymore difficult to write than the other three romance novels i wrote and published already which only took me a year to finish and have published in one year. writing memoirs is a lot harder but to write an erotica novel is pretty much the same as writing a romance novel which only takes three or four months tops to do so i encourage you to write it as it is easier than you think it may be.

Joined: 4/8/2011Posts: 21,370Location: if I knew where I was then I would not be here...

The very first erotica I wrote was about a year and a half ago. It began with an idea I could not get out of my head, so after 72 hours, I decided to put it to paper. Two weeks and three books later, I had a trilogy of about 140,000 or so words. I wrote the ending of the first book shortly after beginning it, and that ending pretty much stuck. By the time I was halfway through the first book, I already had the second book plotted out in my head, and the third of the trilogy was plotted out by the time I was done with the first.

The biggest issue came when about 2/3 of the way through the second book, I decided I did not like the style it was written in and changed it. As this was my first effort at writing fiction, it took awhile for me to find my style. The third book was written in the second style, but I still need to go back and revise the first two. I have written 2 other novellas since then, each in the neighborhood of 50,000 words, and each of them only took me 2-3 weeks. I find that when my head formulates a story, I can finish it quite quickly. When I try to write something I am not really into, it can take me forever.

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